impossibly white smiles

[genrex]

I wonder if this is a new trend...

In the last few months, I've met several women in their 40s who have impossibly white teeth, and they aren't shy about showing them off. In conversation, they like to smile a lot, and I can't help momentarily staring at their teeth. Their teeth are perfectly spaced, and all of their teeth are flawless and bright white, I mean really bright white.

I think they're wearing dentures that are a shade too white. Is that what they're wearing? I'd like to ask them, but I'm nervous about the consequences...

__

[motion]

Veneers. Lots of people have them.

[speeder]

Yep, and they look like schit if they're not natural looking. If you ever need, (or want), replacement teeth, step up and go to a good prosthedontist(?)...my dad has had dentures since he was a teenager and lost his fronts rough-housing. When he started making money, one of the first things he did was get better dentures and no one was ever the wiser, all his life.

If you have really *unwhite* teeth from the factory, they can make them whiter for you but don't go overboard or you'll look like a tool from 100 yards away. Especially if you're youth-challenged.

[aigel]

^^^
what they said

There is a big trend towards arctic white bleached teeth on the natural sets as well. Sometimes they overdo it to the point where the edges of the teeth look translucent, I am not kidding.

It is just part of what I call the fake trend. You go look at some women these days and you will not find a visible body part on them that's not been reworked: Hair (color or even added), repainted face, eye lashes, boobs, nails etc. - this is the ones that didn't have a knife put to them, which is also very common here in SoCal ...

G

[motion]

My wife and I whiten our teeth with Crest strips from Costco. I can't stand talking to someone closeup with bad teeth. Its disturbing and distracting. It shows me they can't take care of themselves and have relegated themselves to a mediocre life. That said, I do have friends with not-perfect teeth

[jyl]

Hmm. How well, fast, durably do they work?

[speeder]

Originally Posted by motion

My wife and I whiten our teeth with Crest strips from Costco. I can't stand talking to someone closeup with bad teeth. Its disturbing and distracting

It's certainly a lot more pleasant talking to people with good teeth, or attractive people in general. But I would include obviously fake teeth under "bad teeth". Very distracting and off-putting, IMO. Sort of like obviously dyed hair on an old dude or a wig.

[widgeon13]

I am no movie star so I'll just stick with the natural color of my teeth. i brush regularly and take care with dentist visits every six months. My teeth aren't perfect and neither am I.

"The good news is that all of these products work to some degree, according to the American Dental Association (ADA). The bad news is that they also serve to widen the pores in your teeth, which can do many things. The main side effect of widened pores seems to be tooth sensitivity to heat and cold. Another possible side effect is that you may experience deeper staining in the future, and your teeth may be made more susceptible to decay as a result. However, all these potential dangers are theoretical and have not yet been confirmed."

I see whitening as unnatural and will not be doing it to my teeth.

[scottmandue]

Wife has been after me to "whiten" my teeth...

I gave up cigars and red wine, but coffee? Not just no but H*** no!

Teeth are living things... I can't see "bleaching" them as being healthy...

I brush my teeth daily, water pic, and chew gum... but becoming one of the "bright shiny people"... I don't think so...

YMMV

[vbaron]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

Wife has been after me to "whiten" my teeth...

I gave up cigars and red wine, but coffee? Not just no but H*** no!

Teeth are living things... I can't see "bleaching" them as being healthy...

I brush my teeth daily, water pic, and chew gum... but becoming one of the "bright shiny people"... I don't think so...

YMMV

My wife too: "Your teeth look yellow, you need to do something about it". It reflects a trend towards an unattainable body perfection. Razor manufacturers tote different blades for shaving your body to suit your significant other's tastes, plastic surgery is booming, etc.

Reminds me of the Bruce Willis movie "Surrogates"...

Vin

[Aragorn]

I remember seeing something on a newscast a few months ago about dental overlays. Kind of like snap on teeth. Covers spaces and gaps. Snaps on over real teeth and gives the impression of a perfect white smile.

Don't like the idea of veneers because I understand they file down your teeth and bond them on with some kind of glue.

Not a real fan of the women who do this trend because they usually treat everyone like *****. Blame the "real housewife" type shows.

[craigster59]

I work with a guy who had one of the worst cases of snaggle teeth I've ever seen. He went and had veneers done a few years back and now every picture you see of him, he's flashing that "Colgate Smile", looks incredibly fake.

Me, I'm thinking about getting a "grille".

[Iciclehead]

I have had a full mouth reconstruction (every tooth crowned at the same time, new bite etc etc) and had a very, very skilled dentist do the work over a 2 year period.

He was adamant when I began the treatment that I do not go for the whitest of white, chiclets behind the lips choice. He said they look unnatural, particularly for people of age....like myself....and went for a much more natural, somewhat less white tooth along with making the shapes and striations look like a mature tooth. I have noticed more and more folks with the glow in the dark, ultrawhite teeth and would not have been happy if I had done the same.

Could not be happier, no one comments on my teeth as they just look natural and appropriate.

While I think modification via plastic surgery to create a perfect boob is an excellent idea, giving unnatural teeth is probably not a great one.

Dennis

[motion]

Originally Posted by jyl

Hmm. How well, fast, durably do they work?

Very effective. Minimal tooth pain for the first day or two. I recommend.

[Scott R]

Originally Posted by motion

Very effective. Minimal tooth pain for the first day or two. I recommend.

I agree completely, I have composite sculpted veneers due to poor teeth, (lost a few boxing and a few cracked on their own.) I don't think anyone can tell the difference since the sculpting retained the look and color of my original teeth.

Very little pain, my teeth felt kind of "rough" on the surfaces for a few days other than that it was painless and easy.

[Aragorn]

Originally Posted by motion

My wife and I whiten our teeth with Crest strips from Costco. I can't stand talking to someone closeup with bad teeth. Its disturbing and distracting. It shows me they can't take care of themselves and have relegated themselves to a mediocre life. That said, I do have friends with not-perfect teeth

I usually get the professional strength crest strips from my dentist. Usually costs around $50.00 for the kit and one set of treatments last around a year for me. Teeth look cleaner but not the bright neon white.

[gatotom]

If you don't like the whitener strips try hydrogen peroxide, after you brush your teeth rinse the brush and squirt some hydrogen peroxide on brush, foam up those front teeth a few seconds, let it stay on teeth another 10 -15 seconds and spit out. Will whiten the teeth plus peroxide will kill all bacteria on your tooth brush.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by vbaron

My wife too: "Your teeth look yellow, you need to do something about it". It reflects a trend towards an unattainable body perfection. Razor manufacturers tote different blades for shaving your body to suit your significant other's tastes, plastic surgery is booming, etc.

Reminds me of the Bruce Willis movie "Surrogates"...

Vin

They start with teeth, then they want to remove little bit of your eyebrow, then ... Always looking for something to do to make your little body perfect. I stop that siht right away, way back when I had a steady girl friend. thank goodness she got rid of me.

[BE911SC]

Originally Posted by motion

Veneers. Lots of people have them.

Veneers of various types that cover up various other things.

[aigel]

The strips active ingredient, after adding water is also hydrogen peroxide. Bleached teeth. No thanks.

Tooth bleaching - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

According to the wikipedia page above one of the possible side effects is "bleachorexia"

Good article about it here:
Bleachorexia: How the Quest for Pearly Whites Can Destroy Teeth - ABC News

The most amazing thing I learned in that article is that tooth whitening products in the US are one BILLION dollar industry! Amazing.

G